Gar fly patterns?

[Matt McK 0]

Anyone have any good gar fly patterns? I see them everywhere and can get them to follow my nylon rope fly pattern but not to take it any advice?

Thanks,

Matt

[troutguy 0]

I tie herring/alewife patterns on a large circle hook. I tried debraiding nylon rope and thought I was a victim of the snipe hunt scam. I don't have any photos but put a circle hook in vise. Tie in white fake hair top and bottom. The trick is make the hair face in front of the hook (thunder creek minnow style. The hair should be 3 to 6 inches long. Next pull the hair backwards and it will form a rounded head minnow. Put some fast drying epoxy to form the head. The fish is thin looking down at it but it has a wide alewife profile. I will try to post a picture.

[Capt Bob LeMay 0]

We catch and release small to medium sized gar way back up inside the freshwater portions of the Everglades (up in small creeks that also hold baby tarpon...). Given the small size (all less than 2.5 feet long) of the fish we're using small bait patterns on a #4 or #2 Mustad 34007 hook. My favorite is a Crystal Schminnow -it's nothing more than a Wooly Bugger with bead chain eyes done up all in pearl and white. Here's a pic or two of the pattern...

 

By the way, hooking a gar on fly takes a bit of work, you must have very sharp hooks and make a hard short strip strike to succeed...

 

tight lines

Bob LeMay

(954) 435-5666

[SILKHDH 0]

I live in Kansas and have fished for gar many times. Crazy because every gar I have ever caught has been on a modified rope fly.

The only thing I do is add a little flash to the rope. Blue and pearl flash to be exact. Some times you have to tease them like a cat with a string when they follow. If they do follow, strip faster. Make them chase it. Make them think it is fleeing, or they will refuse it. This may not always work, but it does work.

Also, the gar that are moving around don't seem to be as aggressive as the ones that are sitting still. Waiting to ambush prey.

Here are some I found on internet. Maybe one of these will work for you.

 

[Hoyt archery 0]

Thanks for the tip about a Gar waiting in ambush. I was sight fishing for carp last Sunday. While busy with the carp I watched a Gar slowly approach. He posted up near some sticks. Thinking about it now, that was likely ambush behavior. I should have thrown a shiny clouser his way. But I was to busy trying to hook a carp, and not thinking clearly. But now I know better.

[ditz2 0]

I have been considering circle hooks so I posted a question about it on another forum. I understand that gar are very difficult to hook. I have no experiance myself but I currently live in an area that I hear does have some gar and I wanted to be prepared. The response I got from our own 'Kirk' was to use small hooks such as a #10. He also suggested one of his fly patterns that I think he calls 'Squirrelly'. It is a simple bluegill fly that he says has caught several gar for him and I have always found the gentleman to honest and to the point. I tied up a baitfish using a circle hook with some white wig hair and a little flash. I have also placed a squirrelly in the box beside it so I am hedging my bet. If one does not work maybe the other will. Not had the opportunity to test either yet. Good luck and let us know how it works out for you. There does not seem to be a lot of info out there on 'gar on the fly'.

[riffleriversteelheadslayer 0]

I have caught quite a few gar on rope flies if they follow alot of times they will come right up to the boat if they do try the figure 8 method used for musky it has turned many follows to takes for me by pike musky and gar as for flies I just use a nylon rope unfurledon a small circle hook